Media statement by Liew Chin Tong in George Town on Sunday, 15^th May 2011:

Troops to Bahrain - "worst idea ever" for our armed forces

Let me first begin by quoting the tweets of the usually pro-establishment defense journalist Dzirhan Mahadzir, whose views on this subject I concur fully, "Malaysia offers trps to join GCC forces in Bahrain, worst idea ever for MAF."

"To PM @NajibRazak , the Malaysian Armed Forces defends civilians, not oppress them, going to Bahrain will result in latter."

Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak announced Malaysia's willingness to send "peacekeepers" to help "de-escalate tension" in Bahrain while backing Saudi Arabia"s role in crushing the uprising.

"Malaysia stands ready to contribute peacekeepers to the Kingdom of Bahrain, if invited to do so by the Bahraini leadership," according Najib in a statement following a meeting with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. "Malaysia will consider it a great honour to offer assistance in this noble effort," he adds.

I am shocked that the Malaysian government would consider violent response by the Bahrain government to crush civilians seeking to exercise their freedoms of expression as a "noble effort". I wonder whether Najib understands that by such utterance he is risking being on the wrong side of history.

Not only that the Malaysian government, as a self-claimed opinion leader of the Muslim world, did not voice support for the democratic uprising in the Arab world since early this year, it is now prepared to stand by dictators by sending our troops to oppress the democratic aspiration of the people of Bahrain.

I am made to understand that leaders of the Malaysian Armed Forces are not in favour of such move as it has never been its duty to kill civilians, more so civilians of a foreign country.

* Liew Chin Tong, DAP International Secretary & MP for Bukit Bendera